A strategic blueprint designed to inform future research, development and extension in the production of low carbon liquid fuel feedstocks from Australian grain crops has been released today.
The Low Carbon Liquid Fuels (LCLF) roadmap was launched by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and aims to enable Australian grain growers to participate in and benefit from an emerging low carbon liquid fuel market.
With international demand for low carbon fuels accelerating, the LCLF roadmap presents a 'feedstock first' approach designed to position Australian growers at the forefront of the increasing global feedstock demand supporting the transition to renewable fuels.
GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart said the roadmap provides a clear vision for how the grains sector can seize new opportunities in the rapidly expanding LCLF feedstock market.
GRDC Managing Director Nigel Hart said the LCLF Roadmap provides a clear vision for how the grains sector can seize new opportunities in the rapidly expanding LCLF feedstock market. Photo: GRDC
"The next oil boom will be on the farm, not under it. This roadmap demonstrates how Australian grain growers, supported by world-class research and innovation, can lead the way in supplying sustainable feedstocks for low carbon liquid fuels," Mr Hart said.
By investing in crop innovation, agronomy and supply chain partnerships, we can unlock new markets, drive profitability for growers and support the Australian grains and in turn the LCLF industries to achieve their decarbonisation goals. The roadmap outlines the benefits of coordinated investment across the value chain, ensuring our industry is ready to meet both global and domestic demand for renewable fuel feedstocks.
The LCLF roadmap identifies three key horizons for industry development:
- Expanding oilseed cropping: Increasing the area and productivity of oilseed crops such as canola, and revisiting alternative crops like Brassica juncea and lupin, to boost feedstock supply.
- Intensifying oil production: Investing in breeding and technology to increase oil content in seeds and develop new high-oil grain crops, further improving grower returns and sustainability.
- Innovating with advanced biomass: Exploring new technologies to produce oil in crop residues and biomass, creating additional revenue streams and reducing carbon intensity.
With global decarbonisation policies driving global demand for LCLF-especially in hard-to-electrify sectors like aviation, marine and heavy transport-the roadmap highlights the grains industry's unique opportunity to supply both export and future domestic markets.
Australian growers are already producing high-quality, sustainable grains to feed the world. By embracing the LCLF opportunity, growers could diversify farm incomes, strengthen regional economies and contribute to national fuel security.
Mr Hart said GRDC is committed to working with research, commercial and investment partners to deliver the innovation and scale required for Australia's grains industry to thrive for future generations.
The release of the roadmap follows the Australian government's announcement last month that it will invest $1.1 billion in a new ten-year Cleaner Fuels Program to help unlock the vast economic opportunities on offer from low carbon liquid fuels.
The LCLF roadmap is available on the GRDC website.
